The pair who play their club golf at Wychwood Park scored 40 points in the first round, and spent the entire second chasing the leaders.

They narrowed the gap to one point with just a few holes to play, but Hernandez and Salas held on.

Salas said: "Representing your country is a tremendous honour and there are some great golfers here representing their countries.

"We're just getting used to the fact that we are world champions. It's wonderful."

Scottish men's champions Gary Tough and Iain Thomson were third with 81 points.

Individual honours on the final day went to South African management consultant and five-handicapper Paul Adams who grabbed a holeinone at the 205-yard, parthree 11th.

The International Pairs is the largest event for club golfers in the world. Already 32 countries are signed up to compete for the 2006 competition.

This year's UK final takes place at St Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa in October and clubs can still register to take part. At just £5 per person, it requires just four good rounds of golf for anybody to represent their country at the 2006 world final.

* Scotland's Sam Torrance closed with a level par 72 to cruise to a four-shot victory over England's David J Russell at the Irvine Whitlock Jersey Seniors Classic.

The 51-year-old former Ryder Cup captain began the final round with a three-shot advantage over Russell after opening rounds 65 and 68 and he never looked likely to relinquish that at lead after consecutive birdies at the 416-yard par four fourth and the 437-yard par four fifth.